Combined nail clipper and clippings receptacle



APP-fl 5 YASUHIKO TSUNEMI I 3,180,025

COMBINED NAIL CLIPPER AND CLIPPINGS RECEPTACLE Filed July 11, 1963 Myra-1W ATTORNEYS- United States Patent 3,180Al25 COMBINED NAIL (SUPPER AND CLlPIlNGS REQEPTACLE Yasuhiito 'llsunemi, 13 @lrachimachi, li-chorne, Daito-lru, Tokyo, Japan Filed duly ill, 1963, Ser. No. 294,449 3 Claims. (Cl. dd-Q8) This invention pertains, in general, to nail clippers; and, in particular, to an improved, new and useful device for clipping fingrnails, or toenails, wherein the severed, or clipped-off, portion of the nail is deposited in a receptacle which is integral with the nail shearing elements of the device.

Presently known nail clippers useful for manicuring or pedicuring purposes employ a pair of resilient, flexible steel leaf members which are commonly secured at one end by suitable means; the opposite ends of the leaf members including blades, or shearing elements, which are situated in opposing spaced-apart relationship. The fingernail or toenail, being inserted between the blades, is severed as the blades are moved together into cutting relationship by forcing the leaf members toward each other. According to another commonly known nail clipper, there is provided a hairpin-like piece of resilient steel material wherein the free ends are normally disposed in opposing spaced-apart relationship. Integrally formed with the free ends thereof are blades or shearing elements. The fingernail or toenail, being inserted between the blades, is severed by pressing the legs of the hairpin together, thereby forcing the blades toward each other.

Unfortunately, presently known nail clippers, like those hereinbefore described, allow the severed nail portions to fly about and drop to the floor. Often, after clipping the nails of the fingers and of the toes, there isleft on the floor a scattered and rather messy accumulation of severed nail portions. Often, they require a good deal of time to gather and dispose of. Always, this is quite an annoying task. More importantly, the scattering of severed nail portions makes for a highly unsanitary condition.

Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to prevent the flying about and consequent scattering, on the floor, of severed nail portions as they are clipped.

Another object of the present invention is to provide relatively simple, convenient and economical means for preventing the flying about and consequent scattering of severed nail portions, as they are clipped.

According to the invention there is provided nail clipping means including opposing spaced-apart blades, or shearing members, adapted to receive a nail therebetween and be forced towardeach other, thereby severing a portion of the fingernail or toenail. Combined with the nail clipping means, there is provided a casing, or receptacle, for catching or receiving the severed nail portions, thereby preventing them from flying about and dropping to the floor. The nail receiving receptacle, or casing, may be opened, thereby permitting the sanitary discharge of the accumulated nail clippings and the cleaning of the receptacle.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of a nail clipper shown in its operable attitude, constructed in accordance with the invention;

3,180,025 Patented Apr. 27, 1965.

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FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the nail clipper, the nail clipper being illustrated as being in its non-operable attitude;

a FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the nail clipper;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the nail clipper;

FIG. 5 is .a front elevation of the nail clipper;

FIG. 6 is a section taken along the lines 66 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a section taken along the section lines 7-7 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is a partial top plan and partial sectional view of the nail clipping device, being illustrated as being sectioned to show the internal mechanism thereof.

The improved nail clipping device of the present invention is, principally, comprised of a nail cutting mechanism and a receptacle, or casing, for receiving the clippedoff, or severed, nail portions, coupled with the nail cutting mechanism.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodied therein includes a nail cutting mechanism com prising two leaves 1 and la formed from resilient mate rial, such as spring steel, and secured together at their one ends as, for example, by spot welding at corresponding end portions of each leaf 1 and 1a. At the unsecured, or free, ends of each leaf 1 and 1a which diverge outwardly, there are formed respective inturned cutting blades 2 and 2a, respectively. As indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cutting blades 2 and 2a are curved in order to achieve a neatly curved cutting of the fingernail, or toenail, inserted between the blades 2 and 2a.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a round post or pivot member 4 is situated between the upper leaf 1 and the lower leaf la adjacent the blades 2 and 2a. The upper leaf 1 has an aperture therein near the cutting blade portion 2, so that the post 4 may freely pass through the aperture. The opposite end of the post 4 is journalled for rotational movement in the lower leaf 1a; i.e., near the cutting blade portion 2a.

The clipper includes a leaf depressing lever 3 which, when in the attitude shown in FIG. 2, urges the ends of the leafs 1 and 1a with the blades 2 and 2a inwardly a slight amount into a non-operated status; i.e., with a small gap between the cutting edges of the blades 2 and 2a. When the lever 3 is rotated upwardly in the plane of the drawing figures and is also rotated along with the post 4 around the axis of the post, it may be positioned as indicated in FIG. 1 to allow the gap between the cutting blades 2 and 2a to become relatively large; i.e., large enough to allow a nail to be inserted therebetween. The nail is severed by moving the lever downwardly from the position indicated in FIG. 1 toward the leaf 1. The elongated lever 3 has formed near an end thereof a widened or fulcrum portion 3a. In accordance with the orientation shown in FIG. 2, the lever may be rotated upwardly (counterclockwise) about its pivoted connection with post 4. In addition, the lever 3 may then berotated clockwise, or counterclockwise, about the axis of the post 4, thereby enabling the lever 3 to assume the attitude illustrated at FIG. 1. At FIG. 1 the fulcrum portion 3a bears against the upper surface of the resilient steel leaf 1. The divergence of the resilient steel leaves 1 and 1a is such that the cutting blades 2 and 2 a, integrally formed in the respective ends of the leaves, tend to separate (as illustrated at FIG. 1), thereby leaving a relatively large gap between the cutting blades. To assume the non-operational attitude shown at FIG. 2, the lever 3 includes means such as a curved projection 14 (FIG. 1) which depresses the leaf 1 to force the cutting blades 2 and 2a toward each other slightly, thus leaving a relatively smallgap therebetween.

In accordance with the present invention, the nail cutting mechanism just described is provided with a receptacle, or casing, which may, by the mechanism hereinafter described, be opened to allow sanitary discharge of the accumulated fingernail portions which have been clipped by the cutting mechanism. The receptacle forming the casing, integrally connected with the cutter mechanism, is defined by wall means comprised of the upper concave casing or cavity member 5, which is secured to the upper leaf 1 by, for example, the screw means 6, and the lower casing or cavity member 8, which bears against the lower leaf 1a. Each of the cavity members and 8 is advantageously formed with concavities or recesses arranged to define a closed receptacle therebetween or they include side and end wall portions which abut, to form the closed receptacle. The upper casing member 5 and the lower casing member 8 are suitably hinged adjacent the connected leaves 1 and In by the hinge means 7.

From FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the generally rectangular shapes of the casing members, or wall members, 5 and 8 may be appreciated. The casing portions, or wall members, 5 and 8 enclose the nail cutting mechanism hereinbefore described, and catch or receive the severed nail portions.

While the casing member 5 or wall portion is fastened to the upper leaf 1, the casing member 8 or wall portion only bears against the lower leaf 1a. As is shown in FIGS. 2, 5, 6, 7 and 9, the bottom casing member 8 or wall portion has an inner liner 9 of a material such a metal, associated therewith. The metallic liner 9 is disposed within the casing portion 8 as illustrated by the drawing figures hereinbefore indicated.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower casing portion 8 or wall portion may be opened with respect to the upper wall portion 5 or upper casing portion by rotation about the hinge 7 for the purpose of opening the casing in order to discharge the accumulated nail clippings. For this purpose, the casing 8 may be moved from the solid line position to the dotted line position as indicated in FIG. 2. As indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the upper casing member 5 and the lower casing member 8 are formed as interlocking cylindrical hinge elements or sleeves Which are aligned to accommodate a steel pin member 10. (See FIG. 7). The ends of the pin 10 are bent in opposite directions and bear against respective casing members 5 and 8, to form spring means urging them into a closed position (FIG. 7).

The lower casing member 8 or wall portion may be pivoted about the hinge 7 against the holding force of the ends of pin 10 and thus the casing member 8 may be opened with reference to the casing member 5 for the purpose of discharging the accumulated nail clippings. (See FIG. 2).

The lower casing or wall portion 8 is held adjacent the lower leaf 1a by means of a locking stud or latch member 11. A spring means, such as a spring member 13 is held at one end within the lower casing portion 8 by a bearing sleeve or support means 13a formed as an inward projection of the liner 9. The end of the spring member 13 bears against the latch member 11. (FIG. 6). The latch member 11 is a small stud carried by the casing 8 and having a flared head portion 12 which engages around the leaf 1a. The head portion 12 may be moved laterally against the force of the spring 13 to slide the latch member 11 along a slot 12a defined in lower casing member 8. (FIGS. 4 and 6) to move the head portion 12 out of engagement with the lower leaf 1a and release the casing member. As will be appreciated from FIG. 6, the head portion 12, being slidable with latch 11, may lock with the lower leaf 1a in position to keep the lower casing 8 closed with respect to the upper casing portion 5. The spring 13 is oriented to urge the pivot member 11 into a locked position to lock the lower leaf 1a into connection with the lower casing portion 8. As may be appreciated from FIGS. 2 and 4, a lower head portion of the latch 11 extends outside casing 8 and may be moved laterally with the thumb, for example, to release the A lower casing portion 8 from the leaf 1a. When the casing 8 is opened, it permits discharge of the accumulated nail severings.

Instead of using the small stud 11 having the head 12 is an end thereof, a small permanent magnet (not shown) may be used for the purpose of keeping the metallic lower wall portion 8 and its lining 9 normally in contact with the upper casing portion 5. As may be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the permanent magnet will normally keep the lower wall portion 8 in contact with the upper wall portion 5. Ordinary manually applied force may overcome the force of the magnet-coupled wall portions 5 and 8 to separate them.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A nail clipper comprising: first and second resilient leaf members, each leaf member including one end and an opposing end, the leaf members being connected at their one ends and diverging outwardly defining a space between the leaf members, each leaf member including an offset blade portion adjacent its opposing end, the blade portions being in spaced-apart face-to-face relation and movable toward each other by forcing the diverging leaf members toward each other; first and second wall means in abutting relation defining a casing which encloses the space between the leaf members; means for securing one of said wall means to one of the leaf members; hinge means interconnecting said wall means for enabling one of said wall means to be moved out of abutting relation with the other of said wall means for access to the space between the leaf members; and means for holding said wall means in abutting relation.

2. A nail clipper, as defined by claim 1, wherein said second wall means includes a slot therethrough, and wherein said means for holding said wall means in abutting relation comprises a stud having flanges at opposite ends thereof, said stud being slidable in said slot whereby one said flange is moved over the second leaf member and the other flange bears against said second wall means to maintain said abutting relation of said wall means.

3. In combination with a nail clipper including a pair of interconnected leaf members including opposing blades adapted to clip nails situated therebetween by forcing the leaf members toward each other; fixed wall means and movable wall means both encompassing the leaf members and extending adjacent the blades to define a closed casing for receiving nail clippings; coupling means on said fixed wall means coupling the fixed wall means with at least one of the leaf members; hinge means for enabling movement of said movable wall means away from said fixed wall means to open the defined casing and enable discharge of the nail clippings from said defined casing; and means for holding said movable wall means and said fixed wall means together to define the closed'casing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,809,556 6/31 Jolidon 3029 2,179,435 11/39 Smith 3028 2,515,852 7/50 Bilsky 3028 2,616,436 11/52 Langley 3029 X 2,620,560 12/52 Bahr 30124 2,799,923 7/57 Senshu 3028 2,837,821 6/58 David 30124 2,887,773 5/59 Killen 3028 2,970,376 2/ 61 Chi Sheng Kuo 3028 2,995,820 8/61 Pocoski 3028 3,013,334 12/61 Bassett 3028 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. M. HENSON WOOD, Jn., MYRON C. KRUSE,

Examiners. 

1. A NAIL CLIPPER COMPRISING: FIRST AND SECOND RESILIENT LEAF MEMBERS, EACH LEAF MEMBER INCLUDING ONE END AND AN OPPOSING END, THE LEAF MEMBERS BEING CONNECTED AT THEIR ONE ENDS AND DIVERGING OUTWARDLY DEFINING A SPACE BETWEEN THE LEAF MEMBERS, EACH LEAF MEMBER INCLUDING AN OFFSET BLADE PORTION ADJACENT ITS OPPOSING END, THE BLADE PORTIONS BEING IN SPACED-APART FACE-TO-FACE RELATION AND MOVABLE TOWARD EACH OTHER BY FORCING THE DI VERGING LEAF MEMBERS TOWARD EACH OTHER; FIRST AND SECOND WALL MEANS IN ABUTTING RELATION DEFINING A CASING WHICH ENCLOSES THE SPACE BETWEEN THE LEAF MEMBERS; MEANS FOR SECURING ONE OF SAID WALL MEANS TO ONE OF THE LEAF MEMBERS; HINGE MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID WALL MEANS FOR ENABLING ONE OF SAID WALL MEANS TO BE MOVED OUT OF ABUTTING RELATION WITH THE OTHER OF SAID WALL MEANS FOR ACCESS TO THE SPACE BETWEEN THE LEAF MEMBERS; AND MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID WALL MEANS IN ABUTTING RELATION. 